


My Roommates Are Monsters

by lethargicProfessor



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-04-16 08:22:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4618323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lethargicProfessor/pseuds/lethargicProfessor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The kid from the Sixth Sense had it easy compared to Lavi.</p>
<p>(In which there are monsters.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“I need to know that you understand that this is a shared bathroom,” Lavi sighed, leaning against the doorframe. “As in, shared by the  _four_  of us.”

Kanda shrugged, brushing his hair out slowly. “Why?”

“Because there’s only one bathroom in the apartment? Meaning that by nature we all have to share it? It’s a pretty simple concept, Yu.” Lavi took a sick sort of enjoyment at the sudden splash of water at the mention of Kanda’s first name. He’d probably have to clean it up later, but any small victory was worth it.

“Get out,” Kanda huffed, sinking into the tub. The movement made his tail stick out over the lip of the tub, dripping more water onto the tiled floor.

“I told you he wouldn’t listen!” Lenalee’s voice drifted in from the living room. Lavi pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ignore her.

“Kanda,” he continued, trying to get the other’s attention. “You’ve been in here for hours. You’ve been here for, like,  _twelve hours_. Get out.”

His tail swished, splashing water over the edge of the tub as he peeked out over the water to respond. “That’s pretty average.”

Lavi groaned, grinding his teeth as Kanda’s head disappeared under the water again. “Get out! I need to use the bathroom too. And I’m sure the others do too!”

“I don’t, particularly, but thanks for thinking of me,” Allen murmured as he shuffled past the bathroom.

Kanda sat up, smirking as he stretched out in the tub, displacing more water as his fins flopped over the edge. “No one’s stopping you.”

Lavi sputtered, glancing at the living room. Lenalee was clearly listening in, but merely giggled at his predicament. “Lena! Help me get him out!”

“Why don’t you just pick him up?” Allen suggested, carrying an armful of snacks to the couch. “He has no legs, he can’t do anything to you, really.”

“He could try to drown me if I got close,” Lavi said, glaring at Kanda. The bastard had the gall to smile at him, knowing how creepy it looked.

Lenalee sighed, rolling her sleeves up as she walked over. “Okay, fine, but you owe me.”

“Steak dinner it is!” Lavi chirped, stepping back as Lenalee entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

He may have also made it a point to record the yelps and shouts that ensued.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a demon sitting on his bed.

Lavi scrunched his eyes shut, and hoped said demon would at least have the courtesy to bother him after his alarm went off. Maybe if he pretended to still be asleep, he would leave.

“Lavi,” Allen whispered, clearing his throat politely. “I know you’re awake.”

Lavi groaned, rolling over to shove his head under his pillow. “It’s three in the morning, why are you _here_?”

“I’m hungry.” Lavi groaned into his pillow again, rolling over irritably to face Allen. He managed to look apologetic, or as apologetic as a demon from hell could. His eyes glowed dimly in the darkness, but his smile was almost sweet. “I’m… _very_ hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.” Lavi patted his nightstand blindly, squinting at the time on his alarm. “It’s _four_ in the morning, why do you always do this to me?”

Allen shrugged, smiling blandly. “Because you’re our friend, and you said we could come to you if we ever needed it.”

Lavi suppressed the urge to scream into his pillow, because he had said that, and he had long ago come to regret it. “Al, sweetheart, love of my life, it is _four_ in the goddamn morning.”

“It’s the best time to eat,” Allen grinned, rocking on his bed lightly. “I’m craving Taco Bell, personally, but I’m flexible.”

“I hate Taco Bell,” Lavi whispered, weighing the pros and cons of the situation. He was warm, and in bed, and taking Allen to get food would involve getting dressed and going out in the cold. Not to mention spending money, and gas, and giving up sleep, and he had a lecture in the morning…

He felt Allen still at the foot of his bed. “Well,” he drawled, sending shivers down Lavi’s spine. “I suppose I could always settle for the souls of the innocent. Not as tasty, sure, but if it saves you the trouble…”

Lavi huffed under his breath, kicking his blankets off, managing to knock Allen off his bed in the process. “You are actually the worst. Thank you for reminding me you’re actually demon spawn.”

Allen, sprawled on the floor, gave him a thumbs up. “Taco Bell then?”

“Let’s get you your stupid shitty fake Mexican food.” Irritably, Lavi stumbled to his closet, yanking on a jacket over his pajamas.

Allen cheered softly, hopping to his feet. “I’ll see if Lenalee and Kanda want some too.”

“Sure, why not.” Lavi muttered under his breath, cramming his phone and wallet into his pockets, struggling to scrub the sleep from his eyes. “That’s exactly what the human is here for, to drive your asses to fucking Taco Bell at any godforsaken hour of the night.”

“The human needs to stop complaining,” Allen singsonged down the hall, herding a sleepy-looking Kanda and Lenalee towards the door. “Also, we’re going to Denny’s.”

“Fucking Denny’s,” Lavi breathed, listening as Kanda echoed the sentiment. It was always Denny’s.

Well, he was already up and sort of dressed, so there wasn’t much else he could do besides follow them out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Lavi was starting to get used to being awake at odd hours of the night; it came with having mostly nocturnal roommates.

It wasn’t strange to find Kanda soaking in the tub in the middle of the night, or Allen raiding the fridge, or Lenalee watching the sun come up. He was getting better at ignoring it too, which was doing wonders for his sleep schedule.

The knock at his door at half past two, though, was strange enough to be unnerving. Lavi sat in the living room, frowning at his textbook, when the knock came again, an insistent rap against the thin wood.

His stomach churned as he faced the door; that was never a good sign. Sighing dejectedly, he closed his textbook, and moved to open the door.

There was a man at his door, staring blearily at him, fist raised to knock again. He was gaunt, the light from Lavi’s apartment making the shadows under his eyes seem deeper than they were. His eyes were bright, almost too bright, and as he shifted, they reflected the light. “Hello.”

“Uh…” Lavi swallowed thickly, his grip on the doorknob tightening. The man on the other side of the door continued to stare, and if Lavi didn’t know any better, he’d say the man was looking kind of hungry.

Lavi cleared his throat, and the man’s eyes snapped away from his neck. “Just…gimmie a second, okay?”

He only felt a little guilty as he slowly closed the door in the vampire’s face. Or, presumed vampire.

Granted, he had learned long ago not to judge a book by its cover, but the man sure _looked_ like what he imagined a vampire would look like. He even had a cape.

Lavi rested his forehead on the door, ignoring the building pressure behind his eyes. “Right.”

Taking a steadying breath, he opened the door again, peering at the man. “How can I help you?”

The vampire gave a start, glancing around nervously. “May I come in?”

It was pretty late at night, but a tall skinny guy in a cape tended to attract attention no matter what. So, it would probably be in his best interest to let him in.

However, if he _was_ a vampire, there was very little keeping him from actually eating Lavi. Not that all vampires did that; it’s just that this one in particular was eyeing him like a prime piece of steak.

Lavi sighed, and hoped his roommates would at least have the decency to avenge him. “Come in.”

The man relaxed as he crossed the threshold, cape swirling around his feet. Lavi rolled his eyes, shutting the door with a definite snap. “How can I help ya?”

“I was looking for someone.” In the light, the man didn’t look any better, too pale, his movements too calculated. The churning in Lavi’s stomach got worse, and he could taste bitterness at the back of his throat.

“Who?” He managed, offering a weak smile.

The man watched him for a moment, a shadow of concern on his face. “I believe he calls himself Allen Walker now?”

And there it was. The tension left Lavi’s shoulders as he exhaled, the nausea fading slowly. “Right. Okay. Hold on.”

He held his hands up at the man, hurrying on shaky legs to Allen’s room. “Al!”

* * *

The man, it turned out, was an old friend of Allen’s. And he was a massive dweeb.

“Arystar Krory,” the man introduced himself, smiling sheepishly. Without the cape around his shoulders, he was a mass of sharp angles and too long limbs, holding a Star Wars mug daintily in his hands.

“I haven’t seen you in _ages_ ,” Allen enthused, shaking Lavi’s arm lightly. “When was it? Prague?”

“Something like that,” Krory agreed, slurping at his tea. “We’ve missed you.”

Lavi slumped on his couch, staring at his forgotten textbook forlornly. “Not that I’m not totally stoked that you’re here, Krory, but um. Why are you here?”

“Oh!” The man gave a start, setting the mug carefully on Lavi’s textbook, digging through his pockets. “I saw the notice and thought I would come.”

“Notice?” And the dread returned with a vengeance, coiling around his gut. Lavi sat up. “What notice?”

Krory held out a worn piece of paper. “It’s online, but I thought it best to have a physical copy on hand.”

The paper was from a forum, of all things, the name of which Lavi didn’t recognize. Allen peered over his shoulder, humming in interest.

Lavi worked his tongue across his dry lips, staring at the paper. “Did…someone put me on a supernatural Craigslist?”

“Who would do that?” Allen asked, tone far too innocent to be convincing.

“It says to contact you if we need help,” Krory added, clearing his throat at Lavi’s expression. “But since I saw Allen’s name, I thought it best to come here directly.”

Lavi shoved the notice in Allen’s face, standing slowly. “No offense, but I’m too tired to deal with this right now. Good fucking night.”

He retreated to his room before either could respond, slamming his door shut in the process.

He would deal with it in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

The steaming cup of coffee in front of him was doing absolutely nothing to wake him up.

Lavi stared into his mug, half-asleep at the table while Allen and Krory continued chattering above him. At some point, Allen slid breakfast in front of him, which he appreciated, he guessed, but there was too much buzzing in his head for him to focus on any one thing in particular.

By virtue of timing or general demon powers, Allen managed to move Lavi’s breakfast away just as he let his head drop heavily on the table.

“Is he alright?” Krory asked, worry turning to alarm at the sudden thunk.

“He’ll be fine. It happens,” Allen assured him, fingers carding through Lavi’s hair, slipping down to ease his glasses off before he crushed them completely.

“Thanks,” Lavi muttered, muffled by the table, shifting to press his forehead into the cool wood. His head was pounding, and the nausea of the night before had yet to settle. He felt terrible, but didn’t want to blame Krory for his symptoms even though technically it was his fault.

“You really should be used to it by now,” Allen tutted, rubbing his back soothingly. “It’s only been happening all your life.”

“Stop poking into my head,” Lavi whined, leaning into the touch anyways. “It’s _rude_.”

“He does it to you too?” Krory sighed sympathetically. “It’s terrible, isn’t it?”

“The worst.” Lavi agreed.

Allen sniffed, insulted, and pinched Lavi’s arm for good measure. “I can’t exactly help it, you know. Your thoughts are just unbearably loud.”

“You really should be used to it by now,” Lavi mocked, turning his head to rest his cheek on the table. Allen shook his head at him, or what Lavi assumed was his head. The nausea returned in full force, making him duck his head. “Glasses please now?”

Allen pressed the glasses into his open palm, moving behind him. “Honestly, I’m a bit insulted. You don’t react like this with Lenalee or Kanda, you know.”

Lavi muttered something unintelligible under his breath, pulling his glasses on. His head still hurt, but Allen was sort of right. He had been dealing with the side effects of the Sight for twenty something years. He could handle it.

“Of course I’m right,” Allen grinned, squeezing his shoulder as he sat at the table. “I generally am.”

Krory shook his head, smiling at Lavi. “I’m sorry you have to deal with him.”

“So am I, buddy.” Lavi teased, feeling his stomach settle slowly. “So. You said you needed help?”

“Yes, actually.” Krory sobered up considerably, delightfully out of place in the bright kitchen. “I know it is a lot to ask, but I was hoping you would be able to help me find someone.”

“Who?” Lavi sat up properly, frowning as Krory fussed in his seat. “Is it bad?”

“No! No, not at all.” Krory ran a hand through his hair, the limp strands falling into his face again. “I wanted you to find my wife.”

Lavi stared into his coffee, mulling his words carefully. “No offense…but wouldn’t…professionals be better suited for something like that?”

“Not exactly.” Krory shifted again, shrugging helplessly. “You see, my wife is dead. Or, rather, has been for some time.”

Because of course she was. “I’m sorry, you lost me.”

“Sorry…” Krory dug through his pockets, sliding over a photograph. “My wife, Eliade. She has been with me for a little over fifty years.”

The picture was creased and worn, but still plainly showed Krory and a beautiful blonde woman standing in front of a home. Lavi smoothed the picture out carefully, glancing up. “Is she like you?”

“Well, yes.” Krory nodded, smiling faintly. “She…had a family, before. But she wanted to stay with me, and agreed to the change. She’s…everything to me.”

“But she’s missing now?” Lavi slid the picture back, fully awake now.

“I think something happened to her,” the man said, worrying at his lip. “She had family. Still living, I mean, a younger sister or a daughter. I’m not too sure, but I think she may have been taken.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Lavi asked slowly, glancing at Allen. Allen shrugged in response, listening silently.

“It’s not every day a family member comes back from the dead,” Krory murmured, folding the picture up lovingly. “I worry they might do something to her. Or worse.”

“If word gets out that creatures exist, it won’t be a good thing,” Allen added, frowning. “You think they might tell?”

“I’m not sure,” Krory said, pinning Lavi with a stare. “That’s why I came to you.”

“Right…” Lavi’s throat felt too dry, and he took a hasty sip of coffee to fix it. “Look…I appreciate you trusting me. I know that’s a big thing with you guys, I just…I’m not sure if I’m the right person for the job.”

“Ah, I see.” Krory visibly sagged, shoulders slumping. “I am sorry to have bothered you, then.”

“He’ll consider it,” Allen said, reaching over to squeeze Krory’s shoulder. “Don’t give up. We’ll do our best to help.”

“Allen,” Lavi warned, frowning as Krory looked up hopefully. “What can I do? I’m just a file clerk. I don’t have any experience, or-or permits or anything. I can’t just go up to their front door and ask if their dead sister is with them.”

“You have the Sight,” Allen said, as if that was the answer to everything. “It’ll be fine.”

Lavi sputtered. “Sight or not, that doesn’t just give me the power to do things!”

“That’s exactly what it means, Lavi.” Allen disagreed, eyes flashing dangerously.

Lavi felt his temper flare, and the room darkened to match. It was easy to forget, despite the constant reminders, that Allen wasn’t just a guy he lived with. The demon’s disguise rippled as he stared him down; it took everything Lavi had to keep staring back.

“If it helps, I can pay you,” Krory said, dispelling the tension. “Expenses, fees, anything you’d like. I just want to make sure Eliade is okay.”

The fight left Lavi in an exhale, and he felt his headache return with a vengeance. “I’ll think about it, Krory. Okay? I’ll call you.”

The relief that spread on his face made Lavi feel a little guilty for wanting to decline, but he could never say no to someone in need.


	5. Chapter 5

On a scale from one to ten, Lavi would have to say dealing with a drunk Lenalee was at a solid six. 

Better than dealing with a dry Kanda – that was at least a nine – but not as easy as feeding Allen’s cravings – a three on a bad day.

Still, it would be much easier to focus on his homework if there wasn’t an overly large fox sprawled on his lap, occasionally lapping at an empty wine bottle. How the wine got in his apartment and in her hands was a mystery, but if he had to guess, he would blame Allen.

“That’s rude,” Allen sniffed, reaching over to grab the bottle. “If I had given it to her, which I _didn’t_ , I certainly wouldn’t have given her such a cheap brand.”

“I didn’t realize you were such a connoisseur, Al,” Lavi said, glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose as Lenalee jostled in his lap.

Allen shrugged, a blurry mass bigger than his human form would suggest. Lavi hurried to slide his glasses back up, before the nausea hit him like a brick. “What can I say? I’ve had some experience.”

The scrunched look of distaste was new, but before Lavi could ask, Kanda wandered over. “Holy shit.”

“This is your fault, isn’t it?” Lavi deadpanned, wincing as Lenalee attempted to lunge at Kanda in greeting. All she managed to do was sprawl onto the floor, back legs digging painfully into Lavi’s thigh.

Kanda coughed, a genuinely amused grin on his face as Lavi groaned. Allen stared at him in shock, fumbling for his phone. “Wait, wait, I need to memorialize this moment!”

“Fuck off,” Kanda responded, batting the phone out of Allen’s hands.

Lavi ignored them, jerking as Lenalee returned to her previous perch, trying to cram a five-foot body into the small space between his lap and the coffee table. “Why did you give her wine?”

“She asked for it.” Kanda shrugged, staring in interest as Lenalee yipped, a garbled mess of drunken Mandarin and fox sounds. Or, at least, Lavi assumed they were fox sounds. He didn’t have much experience with actual foxes. “I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“Hu-Hsien revert to their original forms when they get drunk,” Lavi sighed, petting Lenalee’s back lightly. “At least, that’s what my gramps said.”

“She’s going to be _so_ hungover tomorrow,” Allen said, reaching over to bop Lenalee’s nose lightly. “You’re a lightweight, Miss Lee.”

She snapped at him in warning, making Allen recoil sheepishly. Judging by her tone, whatever she said wasn’t polite, either. Lavi reached around her for a pen, making a note on the edge of his planner to look into learning Mandarin.

“Seriously, though, no alcohol in the apartment, please?” Lavi said, staring at Kanda pointedly. “It’s bad enough you three are living here rent-free.”

Kanda shrugged, waving dismissively as he walked to the bathroom. “Whatever.”

“Speaking of rent and the lack thereof!” Allen grinned, leaning in eagerly. Lavi’s glasses slipped down again as he moved back involuntarily, and he burped weakly into his fist as bile climbed up his throat. Allen smiled meekly, or what Lavi assumed passed as meek in a mouth with far too many teeth. “Sorry, love. I forget.”

“’S fine,” Lavi mumbled, squeezing his eyes shut as his stomach roiled. Lenalee nudged his chin, chirping with worry.  “I’m fine. Keep going.”

“Right.” Allen cleared his throat, scooting away ever so slightly. Lavi let out a slow breath, shoving his glasses back up. He motioned for Allen to continue, scribbling another reminder in his planner: _get contacts ASAP!!!_

“So, as I was saying, about the rent situation.” Allen reached behind him, bringing a couch pillow to his chest. “If the forum thing pans out, that could cover rent for all three of us, right?”

“In theory,” Lavi said slowly, kissing Lenalee’s head as she continued to press her nose into his neck. “But not really? You basically got me a job. I already _have_ a job.”

“As a file clerk,” Allen said with disdain. “That’s boring.”

“I didn’t get the job for fun, Allen. I got it so I could pay my bills.” Lavi took a steadying breath, letting Lenalee drape herself against his chest. It’s about as much coordination as she could manage with a bottle of wine in her system.

“We’d help you, of course,” Allen continued as if he hadn’t said anything. “We can’t expect a human to handle the supernatural, even if they have the Sight.”

“Again,” Lavi said. “I already have a job. And I go to school. I don’t have time to go gallivanting around running errands for people.”

“We can help!” Allen insisted, leaning in again. “And those who help those with power are usually richly rewarded.”

Lavi had heard about that, sure, but the pros did not outweigh the cons. “Why don’t you do it then? You can take the jobs and pay me the rent yourself.”

Allen rolled his eyes. “ _Because_ , Lavi. The point is that _we_ can’t do those things. We need a human to help. But, it has to be someone we can trust to not tell the whole world we exist. I trust you. Kanda and Lenalee trust you. We’ll vouch for you.”

Lavi heaved a sigh, letting his head drop back against his couch. “I don’t need another job, Allen.”

“You said you would help us.” Allen said, and the temperature in the room dropped radically. “Are you going back on your word?”

“Of course not,” Lavi closed his eyes against the pressure building in his chest. “I said I would help you three and I will! But I didn’t sign up to help _every_ creature in the community.”

“They need your help too. Isn’t that something worth doing? Helping those who need it?”

Lavi bit his tongue, resisting the urge to call out the demon trying to guilt him into doing something good. Allen huffed, tossing the couch cushion in his face. “Shut up. I get the irony, you don’t have to point it out.”

“Stop looking into my head then,” Lavi sighed, feeling his resolve crumble. “I’ll consider it. Okay? But I’m not going to risk my neck out there for no reason.”

“That’s all I ask,” Allen hummed. Lavi could feel the smugness rolling off him in waves. “If you think about it, you could also add considerably to that bestiary of yours.”

Lavi wouldn’t say that it sealed the deal, but it certainly helped swing the pendulum in Allen’s favor. “I said I’d think about it.”

Lenalee chirped in his ear, and not for the first time Lavi wondered how his life got so weird.


	6. Chapter 6

The bestiary was something his gramps showed him as a kid.

Every night before bed, he would drag the heavy tome to his grandfather, enraptured as the old man read an entry, sometimes for hours while Lavi peppered him with questions. He always answered, gruff but amused, entertaining his hypotheticals and tangents until he fell asleep.

Once he hit middle school, extracurriculars took over his evenings, and he got “too old” to have his grandfather read to him at night. The book was left to gather dust on his grandfather’s shelves.

In high school, he revisited the book on a whim, and he realized the bestiary was written in his grandfather’s neat lettering. The dates and locations went back for decades, all across the globe, and Lavi wasted an evening revisiting the old stories of his childhood before his gramps caught him.

“Did you write this?” He asked, wincing at the crick in his neck and back as he straightened.

“I did.” His grandfather replied, sitting in his big armchair.

Feeling like a child again, Lavi scooted over on the floor, setting the book on his lap. “I didn’t know you were an author, Gramps. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I’m not an author.” And Lavi didn’t miss the look that crossed his face as the old man bent over to grab the book. “I’m a historian, boy. You know that.”

“Well, _yeah_.” Lavi rolled his eyes, turning to look at the bookshelves in his grandfather’s study. “I know that, but those books are all _boring_ history. This is fantasy. I didn’t know you wrote fantasy.”

His grandfather hummed absently, flipping through the heavy book. “And who said this was fantasy?”

Lavi scoffed, leaning back on his hands. “C’mon, Gramps. Vampires and werewolves and mummies?”

“Among other things, yes.” And the old man left it at that, letting the silence settle over them, disturbed only by the faint sound of pages turning.

Lavi tilted his head, glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. “Are you trying to prank me? Because this isn’t funny.”

“When have you ever known me to prank anyone?” His gramps replied, glancing up only to raise an eyebrow at him.

Which, true. His grandfather wasn’t the joking type despite Lavi’s best attempts.

“This bestiary is the work of many years,” the old man continued, smoothing the pages out almost reverently. “I only stopped when I became your guardian. I was told that traveling around the world wasn’t a good environment for children.”

The disdain that colored his words told Lavi clearly what he thought of that, but he continued before Lavi could get a word in. “Do you remember when I read this to you?”

“Of course I do.” The stories were familiar, and yet when he was reading, Lavi was able to get details his grandfather had omitted before. “I loved them.”

“As your father did before you,” the old man said. Lavi froze; his grandfather _never_ mentioned his dad. “I had hoped he would follow in the tradition. I was sorely disappointed.”

“What do you mean?” Lavi drew himself closer to the armchair, staring at the book on his grandfather’s lap. He had stopped about a quarter of the way from the end, where the pages were blank.

His grandfather sat in silence for a beat, wrinkled hands set on the books pages as if steeling himself. “Your father was my son. The seventh. And you were his seventh.”

Lavi stared at the pages, frowning. “I don’t have any siblings, gramps.”

“Half-siblings,” the old man corrected, sighing heavily. “Around the globe, I suppose. He enjoyed that aspect of it, at least. Your father was never what I had hoped, to be honest. I don’t think I was what he expected either, but that is a discussion for another time.”

He waved his hand absently, dismissing the notion, and turned to stare at Lavi. ”But you are his seventh child. You have the Sight, as he did, and as I do.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gramps,” Lavi said slowly, half-remembered days nipping at his mind.

His grandfather watched him, waiting. “I think you do, boy.”

He remembered his neighbor, a little girl who lived in a big yellow house. They used to play for hours, until Lavi and his gramps moved away. He liked playing with her, but he always got sick after. She used to tell him about the field of wildflowers that used to grow behind her house, even though the apartment building behind them had been there as long as Lavi could remember.

Then there was the man in the attic in their second house. He was nice, but always sad. Lavi didn’t like playing with him much.

The dog in his basement that kept him company during rainstorms, or on nights his gramps worked late.

The shadows that followed them at night sometimes that his gramps told him to ignore.

The tapping at his windows at night.

The whispers from his closet.

Lavi struggled to swallow past the lump in his throat, an involuntary shiver running down his spine. “Gramps…?”

“You are special, Lavi.” His grandfather sighed, closing the book carefully. “For six generations we have travelled the world, recording things others cannot see. You can See too.”

Then, a bit wryly. “You’re even more special. Seventh son of the seventh generation. Seven times seven.”

“Forty-nine?” Lavi asked, confusion battling genuine fear as he dredged up memories he had forgotten. Or repressed.

His grandfather rolled his eyes, setting the book aside. “I’m getting too old for this.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lavi pressed, trying to control the mild hysteria creeping into his voice. His grandfather flicked his forehead, completely unimpressed.

“You stopped listening to the stories. You moved on to other things. Like your father.” This time, Lavi didn’t miss the drawn look on the old man’s face. “So I stopped bringing it up.”

“But—“ His voice cracked, and he flushed. “But _monsters_?”

“Creatures, yes.” His grandfather stood with a faint groan, shuffling to the door. “They will be drawn to you more often than not. It’s up to you what you wish to do with it.”

“You can’t just spring this on me, Gramps!” Lavi protested, jumping to his feet. “What am I supposed to do?”

“What you are ‘supposed’ to do is go to bed.” Lavi gaped as the old man smirked, shuffling out of the room. “You have a test tomorrow in Chemistry. You need to bring your grade up. I’m not going to see my grandson drop out of high school.”


	7. Chapter 7

Despite his reluctance, Lavi began looking into dealing with Krory’s dilemma.

With resources at work and school, he had enough information to start looking into open records; birth and death certificates, newspaper archives, and anything else he could get his hands on. It was a bit like researching for a school project, which made it easier to get into.

Still, there was the question of getting time to go hunt down leads. He had work, and school was starting to wrap up for the semester; finals were looming, and he had actual research to do alongside delving into the mystery of Eliade.

“How are you coming along?” Allen asked, dropping his chin onto Lavi’s head, leaning over the back of the couch to peer at Lavi’s laptop.

Lavi grumbled at the weight, scrolling down the page to copy a citation into his bibliography. “Slowly. I have finals to do first.”

Allen scoffed, pulling away from him to hop over the back of the couch, landing neatly beside Lavi. “That’s not important.”

“It is if I want to stop being a file clerk sometime in the next ten years.” Lavi closed his eyes, scrubbing his face with his palms. His head was throbbing, and he desperately wanted to sleep for a few days. “I can’t just drop everything and do this full time.”

Lenalee, stretched on the floor with his tablet and a sleeve of chocolate chip cookies, looked up. “Why not?”

“Because…I need money?” Lavi frowned, shooting her a reproachful look. “Because capitalism is a disease that controls my life?”

Lenalee laughed, sitting up. “I mean, you’re not the first person to do this. You’re a Scholar. There’s always been Scholars throughout the centuries. They travel and they work.”

“You _could_ drop out and make this your career,” Allen added, sliding off the couch to join Lenalee on the floor. She tossed her cookies over, and he reached over to kiss her head. “I love you, you beautiful being.”

Lavi rolled his eyes so hard he actually felt something twitch. “You say that to everyone that feeds you,” he said over Lenalee’s laughter. “But seriously, it’s not that simple! I need a degree! I-I need to pay rent? And food and insurance, and let me tell you, insurance is _terrible_.”

Allen and Lenalee exchanged a fond look, and Lenalee drew herself closer to Lavi with a smile. “You’re being silly.”

“I’m really, _really_ not, Lenalady,” Lavi deadpanned, letting himself get pulled onto the floor. “I work for this apartment and to feed all of you. It’s a nightmare.”

“What _we’re_ saying is that you can do it.” Allen hummed, draping himself dramatically across Lavi’s lap. “Others have done it before you for ages. Travel and learn and manage. It shouldn’t be any different now.”

Lenalee nodded, setting her head on Allen’s chest. “I remember my brother telling me about the scholars that used to visit the mountains before. You can do it.”

“With what money?” Lavi wheezed, closing his eyes as they started petting him. “Look, I get it, but that’s not how things work anymore. I can’t just…” He huffed, batting their hands away. “I can’t just pick up and leave.”

“I’m sure that’s what your grandfather did,” Allen mused, tapping Lavi’s nose with an irritatingly sweet smile. “And his before him and so on. It’s what you do.”

“I’ve always wanted to travel,” Lenalee added, threading her fingers between Lavi’s. Allen took the other hand, both looking up at him pleadingly. “You could do a lot of good, Lavi.”

Lavi groaned, looking away stubbornly, his hands still held hostage. “I can take Lenalee seriously, but Allen, you’re a fucking _demon_. From Hell. Capital ‘H’ hell. Why do you _care_?”

Allen squeezed his hand, eyes wide and innocent. “Me? I just want to help.”

Lenalee snorted, kissing the back of Lavi’s hand. “You trust us. We’ll help you with this, Lavi.”

“I’m finishing my semester first,” Lavi muttered, trying to wiggle his hands away. “And I’m declaring a semester off. Just one semester! If things work out, then I’ll consider it.”

Allen smiled smugly, winking at Lenalee. “We’re going to make the best team, Miss Lee.”

Lavi groaned again, bodily rolling them off his lap and back onto the floor. “I hate you both. I’m going to my room to pretend I’m actually working on my finals.”

“Leave me your credit card,” Allen called as Lavi gathered his books and marched to his room. “I’m craving burgers!”


End file.
